art

art — noun

1. the process of creating things such as pictures, songs, or sculptures, often to

1.nounA2
Definition

the process of creating things such as pictures, songs, or sculptures, often to share emotions or to make something pleasing to look at or listen to.

Example

Hana turned to art after her grandmother died, painting flowers every evening.

art as an emotional outlet

For Beatriz, art is a way to show what she cannot say with words.

art as expression: 'a way to'

Common collocations
  • modern art
  • contemporary art
  • art and music
Synonyms
  • creativity

    the underlying ability rather than the activity itself

  • artistry

    stresses the skill behind the creative act

Usage Note

Always uncountable in this sense. Distinguish from sense 2 (focused on visual practice) by its broader scope: any creative making across media counts here.

Common Mistakes

She studies an art at college.
She studies art at college.
uncountable; never use 'a/an' before this sense of art.

2. the practical work of painting, drawing, or shaping objects, especially as a hob

2.nounA2
Definition

the practical work of painting, drawing, or shaping objects, especially as a hobby or as something you study at school.

Example

Citlali has been good at art since she was six years old.

be good at art (school subject usage)

The school cut funding for art and replaced it with extra maths lessons.

Common collocations
  • art class
  • art teacher
  • art lesson
  • do art
Synonyms
  • painting

    narrower; only the brush-and-paint side

  • drawing

    narrower; only pencil or pen work

Usage Note

Distinguish from sense 1: this sense centres on visual making (paint, pencil, clay) rather than the broader idea of creative expression. Common in school contexts ('art class', 'art teacher').

Common Mistakes

I have art lesson tomorrow.
I have an art lesson tomorrow.
though 'art' itself stays uncountable, 'lesson' takes 'a/an'.

3. the actual physical pieces that artists make — for example pictures hanging on w

3.nounA2
Definition

the actual physical pieces that artists make — for example pictures hanging on walls, sculptures in a park, or prints on display.

Example

The walls of Aunt Rosa's flat are covered with art she bought in Mexico.

art as physical objects on display

Thieves stole art worth two million dollars from the gallery last night.

art + worth + value

Common collocations
  • piece of art
  • work of art
  • collect art
  • buy art
Synonyms
  • artwork

    interchangeable; can also be countable as 'an artwork'

  • pieces

    informal short form, usually with 'of art' implied

Usage Note

Refers to the finished objects themselves (paintings, sculptures, prints), not the act of making them (sense 1) or studying them (sense 2). Often paired with verbs of ownership, display, or theft (collect, display, sell, steal).

Common Mistakes

He owns three arts from that period.
He owns three pieces of art from that period.
to count, use 'piece(s) of art' or 'artwork(s)'.

4. creative fields like music, theatre, dance, and painting taken together as a who

4.nounB1
Definition

creative fields like music, theatre, dance, and painting taken together as a whole — often the focus of public funding or cultural policy.

Example

The new mayor promised to spend more public money on the arts.

spend on the arts (funding context)

Many young people choose careers in the arts despite the low pay.

careers in the arts

Common collocations
  • funding for the arts
  • the performing arts
  • the visual arts
Synonyms
  • culture

    broader; also covers food, customs, beliefs, not only creative output

  • humanities

    academic angle; literature and history rather than performance

Antonyms
  • the sciences

    the standard contrast, especially in education and funding talk

Grammar Patterns

the arts

Usage Note

Almost always preceded by 'the'. Used as a collective umbrella term covering music, theatre, dance, literature, and visual arts together. Distinguish from sense 5: 'an art' = one specific form; 'the arts' = all of them grouped.

Common Mistakes

She works in arts.
She works in the arts.
the definite article is required in this collective sense.

5. a particular type of creative activity that follows its own traditions and metho

5.nounB2
Definition

a particular type of creative activity that follows its own traditions and methods, such as ballet, opera, or filmmaking.

Example

Calligraphy is an art that takes decades to master, according to Master Wu.

an art (countable, with article)

At the Paris film school, Professor Leclerc reminded students that cinema is a young art compared to poetry.

comparing different arts

Common collocations
  • a fine art
  • performing arts
  • visual arts
  • traditional art
Synonyms
  • discipline

    broader; covers academic fields too, not just creative ones

  • craft

    stresses skill and tradition, often with practical use

Grammar Patterns

a + adjective + art

Usage Note

Countable in this sense — takes 'a/an' or plural 'arts'. Distinguish from sense 4 (the umbrella collective 'the arts'): here you talk about ONE specific named art form (calligraphy, opera, etc.).

Common Mistakes

Theatre is art.
Theatre is an art.
when naming one specific art form, you need an article.

6. school or university subjects that focus on language, history, philosophy, and s

6.nounB1
Definition

school or university subjects that focus on language, history, philosophy, and similar topics rather than on laboratory science or maths.

Example

Daniel chose the arts because he loved Spanish and history more than chemistry.

the arts (school grouping)

Liberal arts students at Brown read widely across many fields.

liberal arts (collocation)

Common collocations
  • arts and sciences
  • arts degree
  • Bachelor of Arts
  • arts faculty
Synonyms
  • humanities

    near-identical in academic talk, often preferred in US universities

  • liberal arts

    American term; broader, includes some social sciences

Antonyms
  • sciences

    the standard pairing in school timetables and degree types

Usage Note

Always plural in this sense. Distinguish from sense 4 ('the arts' as creative culture): here the contrast is academic (arts vs sciences) — typical degrees include English, history, philosophy. Common in 'arts faculty', 'arts degree', 'liberal arts'.

Common Mistakes

He has a Bachelor of Art degree.
He has a Bachelor of Arts degree.
the academic name is plural.

7. a difficult skill that takes long practice to do really well, especially one tha

7.nounC1
Definition

a difficult skill that takes long practice to do really well, especially one that involves judgement or feeling rather than fixed rules.

Example

During the heated board meeting, Priya showed the art of knowing when to stay quiet.

the art of + -ing

Dr. Xander calls listening to patients an art, not a routine task.

art vs routine (judgement-based)

Common collocations
  • the art of
  • fine art of
  • an art form
Synonyms
  • knack

    informal; a quick natural ability, less effortful than 'art'

  • craft

    overlaps; stresses workmanship and learnable rules more than instinct

Antonyms
  • science

    contrast: 'science' suggests fixed rules; 'art' suggests intuition

Grammar Patterns

the art of + -ing

Usage Note

Countable; almost always singular. The pattern 'the art of + -ing' is fixed and very common. Distinguish from sense 5 (named art forms like opera): here we mean any difficult human skill, often everyday or social.

Common Mistakes

Negotiating is the art.
Negotiating is an art.' or 'Negotiating is the art of give and take.
needs an article and usually further specification.
Idioms

get something down to a fine art

idiom

To become very skilled at doing something through practice.

Maya has got making sushi down to a fine art.

After years of practice, Diego got his presentation skills down to a fine art.

art — verb

Word family

  • artist
    nounA1
  • artistic
    adjectiveB1
  • artistically
    adverbB2
  • artistry
    nounC1
  • artful
    adjectiveC2
  • artwork
    nounB1
  • artless
    adjectiveC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

These four words all describe making things, but their focus differs sharply. 'Art' centres on personal expression and feeling: a painter pouring grief onto canvas is making art. 'Craft' emphasises learned technique and useful objects — a basket weaver or carpenter follows tested methods to produce something practical. 'Design' is purpose-driven planning before making: a chair designer thinks about comfort, materials, and cost first, then draws. 'Creativity' is the underlying mental quality, not an activity — you can show creativity in cooking, business, or science, none of which need be art. Compare: 'Her pottery is real art' (emotional, personal) versus 'Her pottery shows fine craft' (skilled execution) versus 'Her pottery has clever design' (well thought out for use).

art ↗craft ↗design ↗creativity ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • art gallery
  • art history
  • art critic
  • art collector
  • art exhibition
  • art market
  • art world

Phrases

  • work of art
  • piece of art
  • state of the art
  • fine art
  • modern art
  • contemporary art

Prepositions

  • art of
  • art by
  • art from
  • art in

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchMiddle EnglishEnglish

'Art' came into English in the early 1200s through Old French 'art', which came from Latin 'ars' (stem 'art-'). The Latin word originally meant 'skill, craft, or method' — closer to today's sense 7 than to today's sense 1. The narrower modern meaning of 'painting, sculpture, and similar visual creations' developed much later, growing strong only after the 1600s as European painters and sculptors began to be seen as more than skilled tradespeople. The verb 'art' (as in 'thou art') is unrelated in origin: it descends from Old English 'eart', the second-person singular of the verb 'be'.